In recent years, advances in technology, as well as ever-evolving tastes in style, have led to substantial changes in the design of automobiles. One of the changes involves the complexity of the electrical systems within automobiles, particularly alternative fuel (or propulsion) vehicles that utilize voltage supplies, such as hybrid and battery electric vehicles. Such alternative fuel vehicles typically use one or more electric motors, often powered by batteries perhaps in combination with another actuator to drive the wheels.
During motor deceleration, such as after a collision or an electrical fault, it is desirable to slow the motor (e.g., by applying a braking torque) as rapidly as possible. The amount of braking torque that can be applied to the motor is in part dictated by the voltage across the electrodes of the voltage supply (i.e., the DC link voltage). Generally, there is a tendency for this voltage to increase during deceleration of the motor, particularly when a braking torque is being applied. If the DC link voltage gets too high, some of the electrical components (e.g., the inverter switches) may be damaged. Additionally, for safety reasons, it is desirable to reduce the DC link voltage relatively quickly. However, if the DC link voltage drops too rapidly, the system may lose control of the inverter switches, which are often powered by the DC link.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a vehicular electrical system and method that allow for improved management of the DC link voltage during deceleration of the motor. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.